Battery discharge system

Abstract

Various systems and methods are presented regarding discharging electrical energy from a battery pack, wherein the electrical energy can be discharged, via a battery discharge system, to a receiver system such as a microgrid, an electrical grid, a vehicle, or other suitable system configured to receive/store electrical energy. The battery pack can be discharged to facilitate testing of the battery pack. Discharge of the battery pack can be to a single receiver system or shared across two or more receiver systems. Discharging can be based on available receiver systems, time of day, payment/compensation for the electrical energy, and suchlike. Discharging can also be selected based on a user-preference (e.g., prior choice(s) for previous discharging operation). Discharging can be prioritized, e.g., the electrical grid is undergoing a grid emergency and the discharged electrical energy is directed to the electrical grid to assist the electrical grid in recovering from the grid emergency.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a memory that stores computer executable components; and   a processor that executes the computer executable components stored in the memory, wherein the computer executable components comprise:
 a battery discharge component configured to:
 determine an amount of excess energy available for discharge from a battery pack; 
 determine at least one receiver system for the excess energy; and 
 control transfer of the excess energy from the battery pack to the at least one receiver system. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the battery pack comprises at least one battery cell. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one receiver system comprises one of a microgrid, a battery pack located onboard a vehicle, a wide area synchronous grid, or other energy storage device configured to receive electrical energy. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the battery discharge component is further configured to determine an operating condition of the at least one receiver system. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the recipient system is a wide area synchronous grid, wherein the battery discharge component is further configured to:
 determine the operating condition of the wide area synchronous grid; and   in response to determining the wide area synchronous grid is in a grid emergency condition, selecting the wide area synchronous grid as the receiver system for the excess energy.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the battery discharge component is further configured to:
 further determine whether the wide area synchronous grid is currently in a grid emergency condition; and   in response to determining the operating condition of the wide area synchronous grid is currently not in a grid emergency condition, terminating discharge of the excess energy to the wide area synchronous grid.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the battery discharge component is further configured to:
 determine a discharge parameter to be compliant with during the discharging operation, wherein the discharge parameter can include a thermal condition, a voltage condition, a current, an impedance, a grid code, a specification, or a regulation; and   control the discharge of the excess energy in accordance with the discharge parameter.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a presentation component configured to:
 present a list of options to prioritize selection of a receiver system;   determine an option selected from the list of options;   rank the receiver systems based on the selected option; and   present the receiver systems in accordance with the ranking based on the selected option.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a presentation component configured to:
 present a set of inputs, wherein the set of inputs facilitate selection of respective portions of the excess energy to be discharged to a respective receiver system in the at least one receiver system;   receive a first input regarding a first portion of excess energy to discharge to a first receiver system;   receive a second input regarding a second portion of excess energy to discharge to a second receiver system; and   wherein the discharge component is further configured to:
 control discharge of the first portion of excess energy to the first receiver system; and 
 control discharge of the second portion of excess energy to the second receiver system. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the battery pack is configured to be implemented onboard an electric vehicle and provision power to the electric vehicle. 
     
     
         11 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
 determining, by a device comprising a processor, an amount of excess energy to be discharged from a battery pack;   determining, by the device, a group of receiver systems available to receive the excess energy; and   controlling, by the device, discharge of the excess energy to at least one receiver systems in the group of receiver systems.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the battery pack comprises at least one battery cell; and   at least one receiver system comprises one of a microgrid, a battery pack located onboard a vehicle, a wide area synchronous grid, or other energy storage device configured to receive electrical energy.   
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the battery pack is located onboard a vehicle, and the battery pack is configured to provide electrical energy to the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 presenting, by the device, a list of options to prioritize selection of a receiver system;   determining, by the device, an option selected from the list of options;   ranking, by the device, the receiver systems based on the selected option;   presenting, by the device, the receiver systems in accordance with the ranking based on the selected option; and   receiving, by the device, a selected receiver system to receive the excess energy.   
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 11 , wherein the receiver system is a wide area synchronous grid, the method further comprising:
 determining, by the device, an operating condition of the wide area synchronous grid; and   in response to determining the wide area synchronous grid is in a grid emergency condition, selecting, by the device, the wide area synchronous grid as the receiver system for the excess energy.   
     
     
         16 . A computer program product for discharging excess energy from a battery pack, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by a processor to cause the processor to:
 determine an amount of excess energy to be discharged from a battery pack;   determine a group of receiver systems available to receive the excess energy; and   control discharge of the excess energy to at least one receiver systems in the group of receiver systems.   
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 present a list of options to prioritize selection of a receiver system;   determine an option selected from the list of options;   rank the receiver systems based on the selected option;   present the receiver systems in accordance with the ranking based on the selected option; and   receive an input indicating a selected receiver system to receive the excess energy.   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the at least one receiver system comprises one of a microgrid, a battery pack located onboard a vehicle, a wide area synchronous grid, or other energy storage device configured to receive electrical energy. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the battery pack is configured to provision electrical energy to a vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the recipient system is a wide area synchronous grid, and wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the processor to:
 determine the operating condition of the wide area synchronous grid; and   in response to determining the wide area synchronous grid is in a grid emergency condition, select the wide area synchronous grid as the receiver system for the excess energy.